The Mountain State; A Description of the Natural Resources of West Virginia

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1893. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Hancock County. '• '^.157'.' ' two-thirds of a million dollars a year. Besides the brick busine'sS*,.' the tile and pottery industry consumes a great deal of clay and'is.; worth a good many thousand dollars a year to the county. Clay products from Hancock county are sent to all parts of the world, the demand is increasing and the supply 'of clay is practically inexhaustible. Stone.--Limestone is found in abundance, there are large quantities of sandstone suitable for building purposes, and a flagstone is found in a portion of the county that is very desirable for paving and always finds ready sale in the Pittsburg market. Oil.--Hancock county was in about the first oil and gas field developed in the country. Gas was found there several years ago in great quantities, and was used in the kilns and potteries at a great saving in fuel, but the flow has ceased. Following the gas development oil was sought in Hancock county and not in vain. The yield was large and though diminished some the field is still productive. The depression in the price of oil has removed the inducements for large production and the quantity of oil produced annually is now smaller than it was some years ago. The present output is estimated at 100,000 barrels a year, on which the farmers receive as royalty something like $5,000, without so much as turning a hand. Agriculture --The soil of Hancock county is rich and productive. It is a remarkably fine grazing county, and its fruit interests are perhaps the largest in the State. All the Ohio river counties have a good soil, and this is no exception. Corn, wheat and all kinds of grains do well. Vegetables of all kinds are raised to a considerable extent, the cities in close proximity creating a market for all that is grown. This county share...